Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand meeting with bloggers at the BlogHer conference.

New York (CNN) – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand met with a group of 25 of the web's top female political bloggers Friday evening as part of the BlogHer Conference, a two-day gathering of 2,400 female bloggers.

The freshman New York Democrat, one of Washington's most web-savvy politicians, used the appearance to press other women to run for office, a rallying cry heard throughout the conference.

“We need you,” Gillibrand told the bloggers. “You don’t have to be afraid [of politics] just because it is a blood sport.”

A frequent blog contributor herself, Gillibrand discussed her experience in the Senate, and specifically the fight against the Stupak amendment – a crucial sticking point for liberal Democrats that turned the debate over health care reform legislation on its head. Gillibrand expressed surprise at the lack of grassroots coordination from women to protest the amendment and pointed to the debate as one where women could have been better organized, and more effective.

The Stupak amendment contained language that would have tightened restrictions on abortion funding, a provision Gillibrand opposed.

“BlogHer is not just a conference,” Gillibrand told CNN. “It's a community of millions of concerned women who are engaged in the same issues that I'm working on in Washington, from creating fairness in our economy, to a safer world for our children.”

And while Gillibrand discussed issues like fair pay for women, the bloggers did what they do best: blog. You can see the results here and here.

“I'm glad that Sen. Gillibrand understands the potential power on politics of women online,” said Joanne Bamberger, a blogger who attended the meeting. “I hope more women elected officials realize our power and meet with us one on one.”

And the event's co-founder stressed that female bloggers occupy an important and powerful space online.

“I think Senator Gillibrand really said it best last night: Women who raise their voices, individually and collectively, have the power to change the world,” BlogHer co-founder and chief operating officer Elisa Camahort Page wrote in an email to CNN. “If you want to get your message out, influence others or understand future needs, listening and talking to women may be your shortest path.”

Gillibrand is no stranger to the blogging and technology community. She frequently contributes to blogs focused on women, like BlogHer, the Motherhood blog and Moms Rising.

In the social media world, Gillibrand was the first senator ever to hold a video chat on Facebook and tweets regularly @SenGillibrand. During the health care debate she conducted a conference call with BlogHer bloggers.

soundoff(14 Responses)

Albo58

Gillibrand is a sock puppet and rubber stamp for our charlatan President! She has absolutely no creditability and New York would be better served by the first 5 names radomly chosen from the NY Phonebook!

August 7, 2010 03:07 pm at 3:07 pm |

Marie MD

Women have more power than we are given credit for that is why instead of sending $50 to the DNC I am now giving them $500!!
I don't use twitter or facebook but it's nice to know we have intelligent women using it for the good of the people.
On the other hand and the reason why I upped my contribution we have that braindead bimbo from AK using it for absolutely nothing.
What a difference!!! 🙂 🙂
Is her husband a eunuch?

August 7, 2010 03:11 pm at 3:11 pm |

Anonymous

During his campaign, Obama promised Healthcare reform and delivered pretty much the plan he had outlined. He promised to wind down the wars, which though it is taking longer than thought appears to be his intent. He promised to restart the economy using a government stimulus plan. He did that. These are the things that he said he would do during the election. He won the election. Why does it seem to surprise so many people that he is delivering on exactly the things that he said he would do. Its not socialism, its democracy. He made those promises and the majority of voters cast their lot with him. I do not get why so many people don't get that. And he must be some kind of miracle worker if he can ruin this country in less two years. Or maybe...it was the fool in the oval office before him that ruined our country. He had 8 long years to do that.

August 7, 2010 03:13 pm at 3:13 pm |

Peter s

Welcome to the fold and join the club of steering this GREAT NATION forward. I hope you will be able to counter those women who are hell bent to destroy this country you know those who wears red like the communist china flag!!

August 7, 2010 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |

jim

The dirty little secret that most people don't know ,there are more rich Democrats than Republicans but you would never know it listening to the media because it doesn't fit their script.

August 7, 2010 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Four and The Door

Albo58 August 7th, 2010 3:07 pm ET
Gillibrand is a sock puppet and rubber stamp for our charlatan President! She has absolutely no creditability and New York would be better served by the first 5 names radomly chosen from the NY Phonebook!
_______________________________________________________
All Democratic Senators blindly voted to give Obama everything he asked for. They have blown trillions of dollars...all of it borrowed and it has gotten us nowhere but deeper than we have ever been into debt. I can't imagine that they are all so stupid to believe any of this would work. They just got caught up in the politics and forgot about all of us Americans outside of Washington. They all need to go.

August 7, 2010 05:41 pm at 5:41 pm |

carlos

Albo58.........stop listening to that cable network which lacks the jounalism integrity, get better educated and stop smoking hay, it affects your reasoning.

As for Ms.Gillibrand, you are no match for her intellect, back to the swamp you go....

August 7, 2010 06:13 pm at 6:13 pm |

Sam, NY

Albo 58 – Living proof again that Republicans can't write English correctly. No wonder you love Ms Palin.

August 7, 2010 06:23 pm at 6:23 pm |

German,IrishAmerican

Anonymous- The health plan he outlined? The idiot, along with Democrats in Congress, didn't even know what was in it before he signed it. The stimulus a sucess? LMAO! The moron said his stimulus would keep unemployment below 8% and 4 million jobs would be created, 95% in the private sector, in 2009. Palin was much more intelligent in her estimation that the stimulus would not, as has been proven, create the private sector jobs and hold unemployment under 8%. It's fools like you that remain in denial that the 1/3 term Senator Obama experiment has failed miserably. He has created more debt in 18 months than Bush did in eight years, yet fools like yourself are fooled by him because he can read a teleprompter.

Hell, Lindsey Lohen can read a teleprompter with more fake sincerity.

August 7, 2010 06:27 pm at 6:27 pm |

Haren

to Albo58,
Who were the puppet and cheer leader of Bush and Chenny for 8 years?
Obama did what he promised to do in compaign for health care, finacial reform and Iraq war, and majority elected him.
If Righty and Fox news does not like it than take a walk.

August 7, 2010 06:46 pm at 6:46 pm |

Annie

So essentially this is a sexist gathering. Excluding males. What do you think the reaction would be to a BlogHim conference? Just something to think about

August 7, 2010 06:57 pm at 6:57 pm |

Gillibrand needs to go

Yikes. That's all we need. More clueless bloggers spouting opinions instead of facts (example: you can discredit anyone that puts the full blame of the economy on President Bush... when the reality is that the democrats [and democratic policies] should shoulder 40%, lenders 25% and dumb people that thought that they could take out huge loans 15%).

Gillibrand is just trying to get liberal bloggers in her pocket.

August 7, 2010 07:13 pm at 7:13 pm |

Ben

Anonymous – "Its not socialism, its democracy"

Wrong as usual, Lib.

"I do not get why so many people don't get that. And he must be some kind of miracle worker if he can ruin this country in less two years. Or maybe...it was the fool in the oval office before him that ruined our country"

You don't get why people don't like him? Where have you been the last 2 years? The lies, the deception, the backroom deals to get a sham of a healthcare bill passed, the taxes, the bloated spending. What about that don't you get?

You need to get your head out of the sand before its too late.

August 7, 2010 07:37 pm at 7:37 pm |

Keith in Austin

At the end of the day, politics in America comes down to a case of Have's and Have Nots.

Fortunately for Democrats, "have nots" will vote for them because they are expecting their government entitlements bought by the 50 percent of Americans that pay taxes. Pretty simple!